There are many situations where is it desirable to locate buried utilities such as pipes and cables. For example, prior to starting any new construction that involves excavation, it is important to locate existing underground utilities such as underground power lines, gas lines, phone lines, fiber optic cable conduits, CATV cables, sprinkler control wiring, water pipes, sewer pipes, etc., collectively and individually referred to hereinafter as “utilities” or “objects.” As used herein the term “buried” refers not only to objects below the surface of the ground, but in addition, to objects located inside walls, between floors in multi-story buildings or cast into concrete slabs, etc. If a back hoe or other excavation equipment hits a high voltage line or a gas line, serious injury and property damage can result. Severing water mains and sewer lines leads to messy cleanups. The destruction of power and data cables can seriously disrupt the comfort and convenience of residents and cost businesses huge financial losses.
Buried objects can be located by sensing an electromagnetic signal emitted by the same. Some cables such as power lines are already energized and emit their own long cylindrical electromagnetic field. Other conductive lines need to be energized with an outside electrical source having a frequency typically in a range of approximately 50 Hz to 500 kHz in order to be located. Location of buried long conductors is often referred to as “line tracing.”
A sonde (also called a transmitter, beacon or duct probe) typically includes a coil of wire wrapped around a ferromagnetic core. The coil is energized with a standard electrical source at a desired frequency, typically in a range of approximately 50 Hz to 500 kHz. The sonde can be attached to a push cable or line or it may be self-contained so that it can be flushed. A sonde generates a more complex electromagnetic field than that produced by an energized line. However, a sonde can be localized to a single point. A typical low frequency sonde does not strongly couple to other objects and thereby produce complex interfering fields that can occur during the tracing. The term “buried objects” as used herein also includes sondes and buried locateable markers such as marker balls.
Besides locating buried objects prior to excavation, it is further desirable to be able to determine their depth. This is generally done by measuring the difference in field strength at two locations.
Portable locators that heretofore have been developed lack the functionality needed to quickly and accurately locate buried utilities.